The disclosure relates to distributing encrypted data. More particularly, the methods and systems described herein relate to distributing encrypted data contained in a uniform resource identifier.
Conventional systems for digital rights management are typically proprietary systems that provide functionality for securing—e.g., via one or more of encrypting, controlling access, and authenticating—shared data objects stored within the system and accessed by users of the system. However, such systems do not typically extend to securing data objects once the data objects are shared with individuals external to the system or for securing data objects created outside the system. Although individuals may implement cryptographic functions without the use of a digital rights management system, such functions typically require a level of technical sophistication unavailable to the average individual. Further, even for sophisticated users, there are a number of well-known drawbacks to standard cryptographic techniques. For example, symmetric key cryptography (e.g., the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) in the United States) allows for password-protection of data objects but does not prevent authorized users from sharing the password with unauthorized users and is reliant upon the strength of the password.
Compounding the difficulty of secure message transmission, there are many protocols and applications that do not natively provide for encryption of messages, or provide an application programming interface to permit encryption or decryption functionality to be included. As a result, users must often resort to installing cumbersome specialized systems before they can send or receive encrypted messages, sometimes with no guarantee that the systems will operate smoothly with their preferred applications.